SeaFair safely docks in New Bern

Crowds of people lined the edge of UnionPointParkFriday afternoon watching something unique cruising up the NeuseRiver: SeaFair, a gleaming, white 228-foot megayacht.

Eddie Fitzgerald / New Bern Sun Journal

Crowds of people lined the edge of UnionPointParkFriday afternoon watching something unique cruising up the NeuseRiver: SeaFair, a gleaming, white 228-foot megayacht.

About 500 people sat in lounge chairs in the shades or lined the rails from the park to the dock at the New Bern Grand Marina, behind the Doubletree by Hilton hotel.

Charlie Deigert and his wife Debbie of Taberna sat in the shade watching the huge ship nearing the bridge connecting New Bernwith Bridgeton.

“We wanted to see it come in,” Deigert said. “We thought it would be interesting. It is fantastic.”

“It will be something different for the Mumfest,” his wife added. “We’ve been to several and I think it will be a nice addition.”

Fred Vogelsang sat with his father and friends nearby watching the approaching ship before a large catamaran sailboat pulled up to the dock in front of them, blocking their view.

“We come out here every day to walk and knew this would be a big happening,” Vogelsang said.

Lyn Murphy of New Bernsaid she had seen boats as big as SeaFair before on the NeuseRiver, during World War II. That was when Barbour Boat Works was on the Trent River, and Coast Guard and Navy ships would go there, she said.

“They used to keep the river dredged then,” she said.

Votelsang’s father said he had also seen ships that big on the river many years ago.

There friend Pat Bell hadn’t.

“I just want to see if it can actually make it through the bridge,” she said. “The last time I saw anything that big I was in Floridaand it was a cruise ship.”

Donna Foulks and her husband Ed said they came out to see SeaFair come in because she saw it in MoreheadCitylast year during the Sea Food Festival.

“I wanted to see if it could not only go under the bridge but also through the draw bridge,” she said. “It’s just blowing me away.”

Foulks’ husband said he thought the ship, with its many attractions, will have an art gallery during Mumfest that should draw a diverse group of people.

“Children of all ages are going to be interested in this,” he said.

Monroe Hassell, who used to work at Hatteras Yachts said he was impressed.

“This is the first time I’ve seen one that big coming down the river,” he said. “That bad boy is pretty too. I bet it costs them a lot of money to run it.”

Small boats and Sea-Doo’s, looking like toy models, followed the SeaFair to the draw-bridge and people on shore followed it along the walkway under the bridge to the Trent River.

Judy Ruggiero was also impressed.

“I think it is fantastic, something as enormous as this coming into New Bern,” she said. “This is great for New Bern. A lot of people here are into the arts and it should draw a good crowd.”

Susan Moffat Thomas, executive director of Swiss Bear and coordinator of the Mumfest, stood on the dock as SeaFair used bow and stern thrusters to maneuver ship. Once it got beside the dock it dropped “spuds,” long pipes in the hull of the ship that anchored it to the river bed.

“I’m really pleased,” Thomas said. She was instrumental getting the ship here for the Mumfest after reading about it being in MoreheadCitylast year.

“I said ‘We need this in New Bern,’” Thomas said. “It’s going to generate a great deal of excitement. We have never had anything this big (for the Mumfest) in addition to the wonderful gala we will have Thursday night. It’s a new thing for New Bern.”

Capt. Craig Matthews, who has been the ship’s skipper since it was commissioned in 2007, said this was the first time he has piloted the ship this far up the Neuse River and his first time in New Bern. They sailed in from MoreheadCityafter arriving there from New England.

The large crowds that greeted the ship were not unusual, Matthews said.

“We always have big crowds wherever we go,” he said. “We draw a lot of attention.”

SeaFair is the world’s first mobile megayacht venue and one of the ten largest privately owned yacht in the United Stateshas eight crew members and hires all of the employees locally. About 28 people were hired from CravenCommunity Collegeto work during the Mumfest.

The ship will be open to the public Oct. 12 from noonto 9 p.m.; Oct. 13 from 10 a.m.to 9 p.m.; and Oct. 14 from 11 a.m.to 5 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, $15 for a one-day ticket for $20 for a priority/multi-day ticket. Tickets at advance-discounted price are on the web: expoships.com.